Staying Safe While the Weather Heats Up

Author, Greg Garcia, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

As temperatures continue to rise across the country, it is important for landscape companies to take proper precautions while working in the heat of summer. Heat-related illnesses are very much preventable if the proper safety steps are in place.

First, companies must implement a heat illness prevention plan and comply with local, state and federal regulations to ensure employees remain safe while working in heat.

One of the most common symptoms of heat illness is dehydration. When employees are out working in hot conditions, it is imperative the crew leader or supervisor makes the crew take regular breaks to get properly hydrated. Even if employees say they are not thirsty, a supervisor needs to insist they have some water. By the time a person feels thirsty, they’re already dehydrated. Remembering to schedule breaks throughout the work day can have a positive impact on controlling heat-related illnesses.

Another way landscape companies are staying safe as the weather heats up is to make sure they are acclimatizing their employees. This is especially important for all new hires. The best way to acclimatize these employees is to gradually increase the amount of work they are doing over a 14-day period when temperatures start to heat up. By doing this, you are allowing employees’ bodies to get used to working in such hot conditions, and thus, lowering the chances of having any heat-related illnesses.

To beat the heat, landscape companies can implement alternative schedules that allow employees to start their work day earlier. If a crew normally gets out to a job site at 8 a.m., the alternative schedule would send the crew out an hour earlier, during the hot months. This allows more work to be done earlier in the morning when temperatures have not reached the daily high. This also allows crews to get done with work an hour earlier, thus getting employees off job sites when temperatures are at their highest.

These are just some examples of how landscape companies are doing their best to prevent heat-related illnesses.

Heat illness prevention is just one of the topics available in Rancho Mesa’s RM365 Advantage Safety Star™ Program . Clients are encouraged to complete the course and implement a Heat Illness Prevention Plan that complies with OSHA standards.

Top 5 OSHA Violations for 2021

Author, Sam Clayton, Vice President, Construction Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Every year, Federal OSHA conducts thousands of inspections and issues costly citations to companies. So, it is imperative for business owners and safety managers to be aware of the most common citations and how to avoid them through effective safety programs.

Back in September 2021, Rancho Mesa highlighted the top Cal/OSHA citations issued during the 2019/2020 reporting period in podcast Episode 136.  Now that the 2021 Federal OSHA data is available, we can analyze the citations that were most common across the United States to see what’s changed and evaluate our safety programs to avoid being another statistic.

Although OSHA violations can be issued for numerous reasons, there are 5 citations that continue to show up on the list year after year, though their order may change slightly. 

1. Fall Protection, General Requirements (29 CFR 1926.501)
   This Standard outlines where fall protection is required, which systems are appropriate for given situations, the proper construction installation of safety systems, and the proper supervision of employees to prevent falls.  It is designed to protect employees on walking/working surfaces (horizontal or vertical) with an unprotected side or edge above 6ft.

   There were 5,295 fall protection violations in 2021. To help avoid fall protection citations, take advantage of Rancho Mesa’s fall protection resources like the online awareness course and safety videos, a webinar on how to implement a fall protection and prevention plan, along with a library of fall protection training shorts (i.e., tailgate talks) that are designed to reinforce the company’s policies.

2. Respiratory Protection, General Industry (29 CFR 1910.134)
   This standard directs employers on establishing or maintaining a respiratory protection program.  It lists requirements for program administration, worksite specific procedures, respirator selection, employee training, fit testing, medical evaluation, respirator use, cleaning, maintenance and repair.

   There were 2,527 respiratory protection violations in 2021. The best way to avoid these types of citations is through training and documentation. Rancho Mesa’s Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for Management and Respiratory Protection courses address implementing and enforcing the PPE program and information the employee needs to know about their respiratory protection, respectively.

3. Ladders, Construction (29 CFR 1923.1053)
   This standard covers general requirements for all ladders.

   There were 2,026 ladder violations in 2021.  The RM365 Advantage Safety Star™ Program’s Ladder Safety module provides an in-depth practical overview of ladder safety from seasoned risk control experts.

4. Scaffolding, General Requirements, Construction (29 CFR 1926.451)
   This standard covers general safety requirements for scaffolding, which should be designed by a qualified person and constructed and loaded in accordance with that design.  Employers are bound to protect construction workers from falls and falling objects while working on or near scaffolding at heights of 10ft or higher.

   There were 1,948 scaffolding violations in 2021. Safety is everyone’s responsibility, so utilizing Rancho Mesa’s scaffolding online course and safety videos to provide a general awareness of best practices to all employees is a proactive way to help comply with OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1926.451.

5. Hazard Communication Standard, General Requirements (29 CFR 1910.1200)
   This standard addresses chemical hazards, both those chemicals produced in the workplace and those brought into the workplace.  It also governs the communication of those hazards to workers.

   There were 1,947 hazard communication violations in 2021.  Proper hazard communication in construction environments can save lives. Consider utilizing the variety of hazard communication resources in the Risk Management Center like online courses for both employees and management along with video training specific to hazard communication in construction environments and a sample Hazard Communication Program template.

Rancho Mesa knows these top five citations can be avoided by reviewing safety programs often and ensuring they are effective.  Clients can take advantage of the RM365 Advantage Safety Star™ Program that specifically addresses some of the most common citations.

To discuss your safety program, workers’ compensation or other insurance needs, contact me at (619) 937-0167 or sclayton@ranchomesa.com.

Implementing an Effective Fall Safety Program Can Have Serious Impacts

Author, Casey Craig, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Year after year, falls are among the leading type of workers’ compensation claims and generate the highest claim costs. They account for multiple infractions on the top 10 most frequently cited standards, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. How can you, as a business owner, control your exposure and keep your employees productive and healthy?

Prevention

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “27% of the 900,380 nonfatal work injuries resulting in days away from work in 2018 were related to slips, trips, and falls.” That’s a shockingly large number especially when 100% of falls are preventable if you take the time to plan, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). The NSC recommends:

• Walking a job before employees get there to ensure proper set up is achievable with the equipment you are bringing for that job.

• Pay attention to environmental conditions such as wind, rain, or excessive heat.

• Check your equipment frequently to ensure nothing is worn down or damaged.

• Make sure employees are wearing the proper foot wear and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) items required for the individual job needs.

Having employees working on ladders or scaffolding is essential for some jobs, and fortunately is a risk you can control. In addition to evaluating the work site, the equipment, the environmental factors, and PPE needed, you should also evaluate the health and fitness of all employees. Factors to consider should include the employee’s:

• Experience

• Fitness level

• Age

Height Matters

A fatal fall can happen at almost any height. According to the NSC, only 16% of fatal falls in 2016 occurred as a result of a fall from over 30 feet; however, 53% of fatal falls that year resulted from below 20 feet. Given this data, best practices would dictate that construction companies should step back and reevaluate the safety procedures they have in place and determine if any changes need to be made, particularly for jobs that are considered the lower heights.

RM365 Advantage Safety Star™ Program

To get your employees properly trained, we recommend enrolling in our RM365 Advantage Safety Star™ program that includes Fall Prevention training. This program includes fundamental safety topics that allows your foreman or key management team to go through internet-based safety trainings and earn their Safety Star certification. This program has shown to improve safety while helping to reduce your workers’ compensation premiums. Register to start your RM365 Advantage Safety Star™ program, today.

Rancho Mesa understands the exposure our clients face on a daily basis and can help implement safety procedures to mitigate these risks. Underestimating a project’s risk or undertraining employees is an exposure you can address.

If you would like help in reviewing your safety protocols and procedures or if you have further questions, do not hesitate to reach out to me at (619) 438-6900 or email me at ccraig@ranchomesa.com.

The Heart of Rancho Mesa

Author, Daniel Frazee, Executive Vice President, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

If you are reading this article, listening to our podcasts, and taking advantage of the meaningful risk management content we share weekly, you and your business likely find some degree of value in what is produced. While much of this content originates from our Media Communications Group, they, with other Rancho Mesa family members join together as the backbone of our operation. Our Certicians®, Account Coordinators, Benefit Analysts, Claim Advocates, Associate and Account Managers, and Sales Executives are the beating heart of our company. That core focuses on three main principles that guide our values, shape our decisions, and directly influence our daily interaction with clients and one another. They include Developing Solutions, Protecting Clients, and Building Trust.

Developing Solutions

A solution is defined as the act, method or process of solving a problem. Our clients face daily challenges and problems as they manage their organizations and continually look for competitive advantages. They rely on us to provide complete solutions but those can look far different across our many departments. Here are a few examples:

• One of our Sales Executives might recommend higher limits of coverage or adjusting deductibles to meet new exposures.

• Our Workers’ Compensation Claim Advocate might deliver a quarterly status to a company’s Safety Committee and make recommendations on return-to-work options. 

• It might also include an Account Manager reviewing contractual requirements for a client bidding a new job.

• And lastly, an Account Manager in our Benefits department might help to resolve a sensitive claim issue with a member. 

• These actions are just a few of the many day-to-day priorities that are centered entirely on serving our customers. We remain fearless in our approach to problem solving!

Protecting Clients

Risk comes in all shapes and sizes. Protecting our clients with insurance is one vehicle we may use to transfer some or all of that risk to a third-party. But, that process can only be effective when our team actively listens to clients and prospective clients through regular interaction at policy audits, pre-renewal meetings, claim reviews, stewardship reports, and renewal meetings. 

A key part of that protection are the resources we offer internally that help mitigate risk and reduce overall exposure to claims across all lines of coverage. Those resources include our:

• Risk Management Center Platform,

• RM365 HRAdvantage™ Portal,

• RM365 Advantage Safety Star™ Training Program,

• Weekly Educational Newsletter and Podcasts, 

• Workshops and Webinars.

Our clients can use these tools for risk management trainings, HR issues and concerns, safety certifications, and consistent risk management education and guidance.

These examples represent a very small sample of what is available from our organization. Building a risk management program that centers on controlling losses by implementing the proper protocols and best practice techniques is ultimately our vision for protecting clients.

Building Trust

We cannot develop solutions and properly protect our clients without building customer relationships based on a deep level of mutual trust. And, we view a distinct difference between establishing trust and maintaining it over the course of our partnership. While we are proud that our customer retention ranks in the top percentile across the nation, we recognize that trust is the key component to our success. And so, our work is never done. We continually expect more from ourselves, our team members, and our carrier partners to maintain, and ultimately, exceed customer expectations. It is simply how we were built and what we stand for. We see No Limit to what we can do.

To learn more about Rancho Mesa Insurance, subscribe to our weekly newsletter and podcast.

COVID-19’s Impact on the Non-Profit Insurance Marketplace

Businesses of all sizes across the country have been impacted by COVID-19 in some way or another. As we begin to phase back into the “new normal,” the insurance industry is seeing several changes within the non-profit sector that will significantly impact pricing and coverage, moving forward.

Rate Increases

With many businesses completely shut down and sales way off projections, insurance companies are experiencing lower annual premiums while still needing to pay out for claims. Certain lines of coverage, in particular Employment Practices Liability and Workers’ Compensation are starting to see a significant uptick in claim frequency, which will likely cause rate increases to manage these unexpected costs. 

Carriers not writing any new business

Some carriers have placed a moratorium on quoting any new accounts until they can fully assess the damage on longer term exposure of COVID-19. This translates to less options for non-profit risks at renewal.

Carriers Limiting or Excluding Coverage

Many carriers are starting to  increase deductible levels, lower available Umbrella limits, and eliminate certain coverage territories for certain property as a way to limit their exposure to claims. Working closely with your broker to plan for these potential gaps at your pre-renewal meeting is critical for you and your management team.

Audited Policies

In many industries, General Liability policies are audited, annually. In the non-profit space, final audits are rarely performed.  In order to better account for the loss of revenues due to the shelter-in-place restrictions, many carriers will be conducting end of year audits. This could severely impact those organizations that have not been properly accounting for their exposure, as they will most likely have their revenues, employee counts, and client counts verified at the end of the policy term. Again, developing a plan now with your broker is an important part of your renewal cycle and can help maximize what potentially could be return premiums at final audit.

Looking ahead, non-profits will need to make sure they are partnered with a broker who is proactive and knowledgeable about the marketplace, so that they can stay ahead of these changes and avoid financial hardship as much as possible.

Rancho Mesa offers tools like the Risk Management Center, RM365 HRAdvantage™ portal, RM365 Advantage Safety Star Program™, weekly newsletters and Safety & Risk Management Podcast to assist our clients with successfully managing their risk and improving their marketability to carriers.

Contact Rancho Mesa Insurance Services at (619) 937-0164. to discuss your non-profit’s insurance needs.

RM365 Safety Star Program May Lower Risk of Receiving OSHA’s Most Frequently Cited Violation

Author, Kevin Howard, CRIS, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services’ RM365 Advantage Safety Star Program™ checks several boxes for contractors who are looking to improve their safety culture and lower risk. The program provides safety training designed to reduce an organization’s probability of work-related injuries; thus, minimizing the likelihood of an OSHA citation when used in conjunction with the Risk Management Center tools.

Encouraging a safety culture through proper training makes sense for employers. Fed OSHA’s, maximum fine for a non-serious violation is $12,600. A willful repeat violation, however, can cost an employer anywhere from $70,000 - $126,000.

According to the United States Department of Labor, the top 10 most frequently cited standards are:

1. Fall protection, construction

2. Hazard communication standard, general industry

3. Scaffolding, general requirements, construction

4. Respiratory protection

5. Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general

6. Ladders, construction

7. Powered industrial trucks, general industry

8. Fall Protection–Training Requirements

9. Machinery and Machine Guarding, general requirements

10. Eye and Face Protection

Avoiding OSHA’s #1 Violation

With Fall Protection being at the top of OSHA’s citation list, and one of the most frequent causes of workplace fatalities in construction, it is of the upmost importance to focus on it when developing a safety program.

Rancho Mesa’s Risk Management Center offers a number of safety trainings that cover all 10 of the most frequently cited standards listed above. Fall Protection is one of five modules, within the RM365 Advantage Safety Star Program that could potentially help avoid a severe injury and OSHA fines.

When Century Painting’s Eddie Lopez was asked to give his thoughts on becoming RM365 Safety Star certified, his response was sincere.

“Obtaining my RM365 Safety Star Certificate was not only fulfilling and educational as a safety manager, but it also helped me navigate through safety criteria that OSHA is expecting us to follow regardless,” said Eddie Lopez, Safety Manager for Century Painting Corp.

RM365 Advantage Safety Star Program™ is a comprehensive tool for contractors that are hoping to package several advantages into one single task. To learn more about how to enroll, please visit the Safety Star Program™ page or contact Rancho Mesa Insurance Services at (619) 937-0164.

To learn more about the Fall Protection in Construction requirements, visit Cal OSHA’s Safety & Health Fact Sheet. You will notice links dedicated to each industry down the left side of the page. This information can further help companies avoid a potential OSHA fine, and more importantly, protect employees.